
Wella Announces the Finalists of Wella Trend Vision Awards
This year’s awards centered around the Monochromatic trend, which is rooted in minimalism and intentional by design.
Sola’s home office becomes largest franchisee in the system with 59 corporate-owned locations and one in development.

Sola Salons, the world’s largest salon studios franchise, announced today that it has successfully purchased 10 Sola locations in Virginia and 10 Sola locations in Baltimore, Maryland and greater Washington D.C. metro area from former Sola franchise owners. The units will now be integrated into the Sola home office’s portfolio of 59 total corporate owned locations, with one in development, which includes Denver metro, Orange County, Sacramento, Virginia and Maryland.

The 10 Virginia locations were formerly developed and operated by a longtime franchise group led by Jim Debolt, Jeff DeBolt and Long Ngo. This group of early franchise owners dedicated the past 10 years to growing Sola’s presence across the Virginia market and developing strong and successful operations at each location. The 10 units across Baltimore, Maryland and Greater Washington D.C. metro area were purchased from owners and operators, Jim and Roxy McEvoy, who have been Sola brand leaders since they first entered the system eight years ago. The 20 new locations acquired by corporate will be managed by the corporate unit operational team under Jeremy Tebo, vice president of corporate operations at Sola Salons.
“This large transaction shows the strength and demand for our business at the unit level,” said Christina Russell, CEO of Sola Salons. “We have built a scalable team structure to prepare for this growth and couldn’t be more excited to be counted among the largest franchisees in the Sola system. We look forward to sharing the knowledge we gain from this experience.”
Sola continues to show substantial growth across North America in new salon openings, signed franchise agreements, and corporate acquisitions. Additionally, same-store revenues and occupancy have continued to climb this year, as the brand continues to attract independent beauty professionals and customers alike with its fully equipped facilities and offerings. The model continues to expand in popularity, as beauty professionals continue to look for independent opportunities that offer their clientele more control over their salon experience. In 2021 alone, almost 7,000 new stylists joined Sola.
“Through this acquisition, we have firmly established our East Coast corporate operations presence,” said Jordan Levine, COO of Sola Salons. “We now have 59 open locations, with one under development, across four core markets in Denver, Orange County, Sacramento, Virginia and Maryland, and we look forward to continuing to develop in these markets.”
Sola Salons is driven by its desire to use real estate to help aspiring business owners achieve their dreams and is looking for franchisees who feel the same way. Franchise opportunities remain in various markets all over the country. Territories include the entire states of Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont as well as markets within cities such as Memphis, Tennessee; Corpus Christi and Temple/Killeen in Texas; The Villages, Florida; Albuquerque and Santa Fe in New Mexico; Vancouver, BC; Edmonton, AB; Halifax NS; Winnipeg MB and Toronto, ON.
To learn more about franchise opportunities and available Sola Salons territories, contact Lori Merrall, director of franchise development at lori@solasalonstudios.com. Additional franchise information is available here.

This year’s awards centered around the Monochromatic trend, which is rooted in minimalism and intentional by design.
Haircare brand The Doux has launched “My Salon Empire,” a free-to-play salon management game on Roblox, helping the next generation celebrate the diversity of textured hair and explore salon entrepreneurship.

The show reported 30% attendance growth. It felt that way. This event for the southwest professional beauty community had heart, spice, and something for everyone.

Wella artists presented the Monochromatic trend movement, introduced new Pure Perfection color and Sebastian styling innovations, while the Wella team created interactive fun throughout Wella Studio in Los Angeles.

Dominique LyVar, an influential educator and artist, is remembered by those who loved him for his significant impact on the industry and contributions to the community.

Known for his buttery blondes and a technique for highlighting hair with more precision that he called chunking, Brad Johns died on August 27. His friend and fellow colorist, David Stanko, shares thoughts on his talented colleague and close friend.

As technology evolves at an accelerated rate, you want to make sure you have the best in your business toolkit to help you grow sales, motivate your team, communicate with your current and future clientele, and streamline your managerial tasks. The 2026 SALON TODAY Technology Solutions Guide is designed to help you navigate today's growing landscape of salon and spa technology. In this guide, you'll find a curated look at more than 50 of the latest software platforms, digital solutions, and innovative features to help you compare options and identify the best fit for your business.

The Davines Edit reflects the brand’s passion for people and planet.

RÜTE Wash introduces a shower cap designed specifically for crown washing, helping clients with hair extensions cleanse the scalp while protecting the lengths from water.

Premiere San Antonio Presented by SalonCentric returns for its fourth edition August 30-31 at the Henry B. González Convention Center, delivering its biggest and boldest event to date.

One-Day Personal and Professional Development Education Event for Beauty Professionals Set for October 25, 2026, at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue.

According to the report, people are moving away from copy-paste trends and toward community, using real experiences to develop a sense of taste and beauty that reflects who they are.

Hairstylists and barbers can showcase their creative and technical vision in two global categories with cash prizes and a chance to represent in Portugal.

The BBR Beauty Show featured a prominent speaker lineup including Lacy Redway, Karrueche Tran, Danessa Myricks, Chelley B., Sabrina Elba, Jessica Harris-Dupart, and more.

The Professional Beauty Association and Pivot Point team up to develop an ongoing study that measures the confidence of salon owners, stylists, school owners, and students.

This shared recognition celebrates the strength of industry collaboration in advancing professional mobility.

In Dubai, a salon visit isn’t an appointment. It’s a weekly routine, and clients can spend $800 to $1,400 a month on it, according to Gaurav Tripathi of MADI International. On October 6-8, 2026, the market behind those numbers opens its doors as Beautyworld Dubai marks its 30th edition at the Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together distributors, brands, stylists and salon owners from all over the world.
Sponsored by BeautyWorld Dubai